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Space-based internet provider Starlink (SpaceX) last night announced that new domestic customers looking to join their ultrafast home broadband service in the UK could now sign-up and get the hardware for free (terminal/dish and router etc.), instead of paying the usual £299 (one-off).
At present Starlink has around 7,800 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (c.4,100 are v2 Mini / GEN 2A) – mostly at altitudes of c.500-600km – and they’ll add thousands more by the end of 2027. Residential customers in the UK usually pay from £75 a month, plus £299 for hardware on the ‘Standard’ unlimited data plan (the kit price does vary, due to different offers), which promises UK latency times of 28-36ms, downloads of 103-258Mbps and uploads of 15-26Mbps. But cheaper and more restrictive options also exists for roaming users.
Starlink had previously been offering its hardware for free (instead of £299) in only a few very limited UK locations, but the new promotion seems to extend that across much more of the country. The company’s email does, however, continue to state that this promotion is “available in select UK areas only“, but we’ve yet to identify which locations may be unable to benefit.
The only catch is that this offer can currently only be taken alongside a 12-month minimum contract term.